Lapboard siding installation tool

ABSTRACT

A tool to facilitate the installation of lapboard siding on a structure that clamps to the last installed lapboard siding by urging the clamping channel back leg between the last installed lapboard siding and the next to last installed lapboard siding with the horizontal base shelf urged against the bottom edge of the last installed lapboard siding. A reveal slide with reveal board shelf adjusts vertically to create an accurate space between the last installed lapboard siding and the next installed lapboard siding commonly referred to as “Reveal”. A fastener locator adjusts vertically to locate fasteners above the reveal area of the lapboard siding.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is in the field of lapboard siding installationand specifically relates to using an apparatus to install the lapboardsiding that provides a vertical space between the bottom of a lastinstalled row of the lapboard siding and the bottom of a next installedrow of the lapboard siding. This space is commonly referred to as the“Reveal” of the lapboard siding.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Installing lapboard siding on a structure such as a house but notlimited to the structure such as the house is commonly achieved by auser nailing a shelf board to the last installed row of the lapboardsiding positioned to create a reveal and support the next installed rowof the lapboard siding. There are apparatus that functions to supportand precisely position the lapboard siding during installation. Withoutthe aid of such apparatus the procedure for the installation of thelapboard siding requires much careful measuring, leveling, marking andmonitoring to assure that the rows of the lapboard siding are properlyand uniformly positioned relative to the rest. Not only is the proceduretime and labor inefficient, but it also provides abundant opportunitiesfor human error. What is needed is an apparatus that has the ability toachieve the reveal in 1/16 inch increments; have the ability to achievethe reveal in 1 inch increments for the most common reveal e. g., 4, 5,6, 7, 8, 9 and 10 inches respectively and should not be specific to onetype or thickness of the lapboard siding to be installed but have theability to install shingles, shakes and elongated type of the lapboardsiding e. g., clapboards, fiber-cement board and wood-fiber board etc.in a plurality of thicknesses; have the ability to locate fasteners onthe last installed lapboard siding to be above the bottom edge of thenext installed lapboard siding and have the ability to give the user anoption of using or not using the shelf board when installing theelongated type of the lapboard siding e. g., clapboards, fiber-cementboard and wood-fiberboard etc. While there is several known apparatus toassist in the installation of the lapboard siding, the following patentsare cited as exemplary U.S. prior art.

U.S. Pat. No. 7,213,346 B1 issued May 8, 2007 to Catherine A. Gregory

U.S. Pat. No. 7,134,253 B2 issued Nov. 14, 2006 to Jonathan Edwards

U.S. Pat. No. 8,656,603 B1 issued Feb. 25, 2014 to David Rush

The apparatus and methods disclosed herein may provide functionality notprovided by previous apparatus, or may remedy deficiencies exhibited byprevious apparatus.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention comprising an improved lapboard sidinginstallation apparatus. The apparatus enables a user to installshingles, shakes and elongated types of the lapboard siding e. g.,clapboards, fiber-cement board and wood-fiber board etc. on a structuresuch as a house but not limited to the structure such as the house orthe lapboard siding types and thicknesses to accurately and efficientlymeasure in 1/16 inch and 1 inch increments a space between a lastinstalled lapboard siding and a next installed lapboard siding that iscommonly referred to as the “Reveal” of the lapboard siding. In additionto accurately measuring the reveal between the edges of the lapboardsiding the present invention also supports the lapboard siding wherein areveal shelf board supports the next installed lapboard siding while itis being installed. This support provides assistance to an installationuser and enables the installation user to more accurately andefficiently install the lapboard siding on the structure such as thehouse but not limited to the structure such as the house without theassistance of a second user.

Provided are a plurality of embodiments of the invention comprising butnot limited to a main body channel comprising a front vertical leg, ahorizontal base shelf and a back vertical leg; a reveal slide; afastener locator; a reveal board shelf and a fastener locator shelf. Toreversibly attach the main body channel to the last installed lapboardsiding urge the clamping channel back leg between the last installedlapboard siding and the next to last installed lapboard siding with thehorizontal base shelf urged against the bottom edge of the lastinstalled lapboard siding. Rotate a clamping knob comprising a threadedstud clockwise to clamp the last installed lapboard siding between aclamping pad and the back vertical leg of the main body channel. Thelapboard siding thickness capacity has a plurality of dimensions betweenthe clamping pad and the back vertical leg of the main body channel.

Provided is the main body channel having a plurality of reveal openingsin the front vertical leg providing a plurality of reveal dimensions in1 inch increments; a reveal measuring device that is fastened to thefront of the front vertical leg providing a plurality of revealdimensions in 1/16 inch increments and a main body channel front slot inthe front of the front vertical leg of the main body channel and a mainbody channel back slot in the back of the main body channel frontvertical leg to receive a reveal slide.

Provided is the reveal slide that has an aperture that enables thereveal slide to enter into the main body channel front vertical legfront slot and the main body channel front vertical leg back slotwherein the reveal slide has vertical linear movement on the main bodychannel enabling a reveal indicator on the reveal slide to align withthe reveal measuring device marking that represents the lapboard sidingreveal required. A shelf bolt assembled with the reveal board shelf anda reveal board shelf locking screw is used in two locations on thereveal slide. A lower location is used when the required reveal shelfboard is needed to install the shingle and the shake types of thelapboard siding and an alternate upper location is used when the optionnot to use the reveal shelf board is chosen to install the elongatedtypes of the lapboard siding e. g., clapboards, fiber-cement board andwood-fiber board etc.

Also provided is the fastener locator that has linear vertical motionand is secured to the reveal slide with a fastener locator locking boltafter required location of the fastener locator has been established.The fastener locator shelf is threaded into the fastener locator andprovides support for the fastener locator shelf board. The fastenerlocator shelf board locates the fasteners above the reveal of the nextinstalled lapboard siding, concealing the fasteners when the lapboardsiding above the next installed lapboard siding is installed. Thefastener locator also has an alternative to using the fastener locatorshelf board wherein fastener locator semicircle openings in the fastenerlocator enable the use of a string, a wire or a bungee cord etc. thatwill enable the user to place the shingles or the shakes across theentire span between the fastener locators of the present inventionenabling the string, the wire or the bungee cord etc. to contain theshingle or the shake types of the lapboard siding on the reveal shelfboard prior to fastening which also applies when using the fastenerlocator shelf board.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings together with the descriptions serve toillustrate the preferred embodiments of the invention and should not beconstrued as limiting the present invention, but are intended to beexemplary.

FIG. 1 is an exploded view of main and sub components of the tool of thepresent invention;

FIG. 2 is a left side view of the tool of the present invention attachedto a structure such as a house but not limited to the structure such asthe house;

FIG. 3 is a right side view of the tool of the present inventionattached to the structure such as the house but not limited to thestructure such as the house;

FIG. 4 is a perspective of the tool of the present invention attached tothe structure such as the house but not limited to the structure such asthe house illustrating the shingles installed with a 4 inch reveal usinga reveal shelf board, a reveal bolt, a fastener locator and a fastenerlocator board; and

FIG. 5 is a perspective of the tool of the present invention attached tothe structure such as the house but not limited to the structure such asthe house illustrating an elongated type of the lapboard siding e. g.,clapboards, fiber-cement board and wood-fiber board etc. installed witha 4 inch reveal using the reveal shelf board, the reveal bolt, thefastener locator and the fastener locator board.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The invention will now be described with reference to the attacheddrawing figures. It should be understood that the drawings are meant tobe merely illustrative, and are not necessarily drawn to exact scale.

Referring now to FIG. 1 an exploded view of the preferred embodiment ofthe present invention comprising main components and sub components. Themain components comprising a reveal slide 48, a main body channel 12comprising a front vertical leg, a horizontal base shelf and a backvertical leg. The sub components comprising all other numberedcomponents in FIG. 1. To assemble main components and sub components ofthe present invention, rotate a clamping knob 18 comprising a threadedstud that threads into a clamping knob opening 16 of the main bodychannel 12 and continues beyond the back of the front vertical leg ofthe main body channel 12 into a clamping pad 40 with the clamping pad 40reversibly attached to the threaded stud of the clamping knob 18 whereina front roll pin 44 is inserted into a front roll pin opening 20 of thethreaded stud and a back roll pin 42 is inserted into a back roll pinopening 22 of the threaded stud. The clamping pad 40 comprising acounter bored partial depth opening to receive the back roll pin 42.Assemble the reveal slide 48 with the main body channel 12 wherein thereveal slide 48 is inserted into a main body channel front slot 24 and amain body channel back slot 46 wherein the reveal slide 48 has verticallinear motion on the main body channel 12 and is secured at the requiredmeasurement for the lapboard siding reveal on a reveal measuring device14 with a reveal bolt 58 rotated clockwise into a reveal bolt opening 56of the reveal slide 48 and into the main body channel 12 followingopening that relates to the required reveal space, four inch revealopening 26, or five inch reveal opening 28, or six inch reveal opening30, or seven inch reveal opening 32, or eight inch reveal opening 34, ornine inch reveal opening 36, or ten inch reveal opening 38. A revealindicator 54 will align at four, five, six, seven, eight, nine or teninches respectively with the reveal measuring device 14. For dimensionsin one sixteenth inch increments from one sixteenth to fifteen sixteenthinch's respectively that are between four, five, six, seven, eight, nineand ten inches respectively of the main body channel reveal openings 26through 38 use the reveal bolt 58 in a reveal bolt alternate opening 64to secure reveal measurement required on the reveal measuring device 14.A shelf bolt 60 is rotated clockwise into a shelf bolt lower opening 62of the reveal slide 48 and continues beyond the back of the reveal slide48 into a reveal board shelf 70 wherein a reveal board shelf lockingscrew 72 is threaded into the back of the reveal board shelf 70. Theshelf bolt lower opening 62 of the reveal slide 48 is used when the useris using a reveal shelf board 94 to install the shingle, the shake andthe elongated type of the lapboard siding e. g., clapboards,fiber-cement board and wood-fiber board etc. A shelf bolt upper opening52 of the reveal slide 48 is used when the user is not using the revealshelf board 94 to install the elongated type of the lapboard siding e.g., clapboards, fiber-cement board and wood-fiber board etc. A retainerbolt 68 enters through a retainer opening 66 in retainer 74 and isthreaded into a retainer bolt opening 50 of the reveal slide 48adjustments for various thicknesses of elongated type of the lapboardsiding e. g., clapboards, fiber-cement board and wood-fiber board etc.are made when not using the reveal shelf board 94 by rotating theretainer 74 on the retainer bolt 68 before securing the retainer 74 tothe reveal slide 48.

Referring now to FIG. 2 a left side view of the preferred embodiment ofthe present invention illustrating the horizontal base shelf of the mainbody channel 12 urged against the bottom of the last installed lapboardsiding 98 and clamped between the front of the back vertical clampingleg of the main body channel 12 and the back of the clamping pad 40 byrotating clockwise the clamping knob 18. Also illustrated is theretainer 74 urged against the face of the reveal shelf board 94 with theback of reveal shelf board 94 urged against the last installed lapboardsiding 98.

Referring now to FIG. 3 a right side view of the preferred embodiment ofthe present invention illustrating the horizontal base shelf of the mainbody channel 12 urged against the bottom of the last installed lapboardsiding 98. Also illustrated is the retainer 74 urged against the face ofthe reveal shelf board 94 with the back of the reveal shelf board 94urged against the last installed lapboard siding 98.

Referring now to FIG. 4 a perspective view of the preferred embodimentof the present invention illustrating the shingle type of the lapboardsiding being installed with the main body channel 12 attached to thelast installed lapboard siding 98. A reveal indicator 54 is aligned withthe 4″ marking on the reveal measuring device 14. The retainer 74 isattached to the reveal slide 48 by the retainer bolt 68 wherein theretainer 74 is urged against the reveal shelf board 94. A fastenerlocator 76 comprising a plurality of semicircle openings 86 isillustrated in conjunction with a fastener locator shelf board 92.

Referring now to FIG. 5 a perspective view of the preferred embodimentof the present invention illustrating the elongated type of the lapboardsiding being installed e. g., clapboards, fiber-cement board andwood-fiber board etc. with the main body channel 12 attached to the lastinstalled lapboard siding 98. The reveal indicator 54 is aligned withthe 4″ marking on the reveal measuring device 14. The retainer 74 isattached to the reveal slide 48 by the retainer bolt 68 wherein theretainer 74 is urged against the reveal shelf board 94. A fastenerlocator 76 comprising a plurality of semicircle openings 86 isillustrated in conjunction with the fastener locator shelf board 92.

While the foregoing written description of the invention enables one ofordinary skill to make and use what is considered presently to be thebest mode thereof, those of ordinary skill will understand andappreciate the existence of variations, combinations and equivalents ofthe specific embodiment, method, and examples herein. The inventionshould therefore not be limited by the above described embodiment,method, and examples, but by all embodiments and methods within thescope and spirit of the invention.

REFERENCE NUMERALS IN THE DRAWINGS

10 Tool of the present invention 12 Main body channel 14 Revealmeasuring device 16 Clamping knob opening 18 Clamping knob 20 Front rollpin opening 22 Back roll pin opening 24 Main body channel front slot 26Four inch reveal opening 28 Five inch reveal opening 30 Six inch revealopening 32 Seven inch reveal opening 34 Eight inch reveal opening 36Nine inch reveal opening 38 Ten inch reveal opening 40 Clamping pad 42Back roll pin 44 Front roll pin 46 Main body channel back slot 48 Revealslide 50 Retainer bolt opening 52 Shelf bolt upper opening 54 Revealindicator 56 Reveal bolt opening 58 Reveal bolt 60 Shelf bolt 62 Shelfbolt lower opening 64 Reveal bolt alternate opening 66 Retainer opening68 Retainer bolt 70 Reveal board shelf 72 Reveal board shelf lockingscrew 74 Retainer 76 Fastener locator 78 Fastener locator elongatedopening 80 Fastener locator locking bolt 82 Fastener locator shelf 84Fastener locator spacer 86 Fastener locator semicircle 88 Fastenerlocator shelf opening opening 90 Fastener locator locking bolt 92Fastener locator shelf board opening 94 Reveal shelf board 96 Nextinstalled lapboard siding 98 Last installed lapboard siding 100 Next tolast installed lapboard siding 102 Lapboard siding 104 Wall sheathing

What is claimed is:
 1. A tool to facilitate the installation of sidingon a structure comprising: A main body channel.
 2. The tool of claim 1wherein a main body channel comprising a top; a bottom; a front; a back;a left side and a right side comprising a front vertical leg and a backvertical leg that are parallel to each other and perpendicular to ahorizontal base wherein the front vertical leg is coupled to thehorizontal base at the bottom of the front vertical leg and at the frontof the horizontal base and the back vertical leg is coupled at thebottom of the back vertical leg and the back of the horizontal basecreating open space above the horizontal base between the front verticalleg and the back vertical leg.
 3. The tool of claim 2 wherein the frontvertical leg comprising a front and a back and the back vertical legcomprising a front and a back wherein the front vertical leg has greaterlength from the top to the bottom than the back vertical leg from thetop to the bottom and the front vertical leg has greater width from theleft side to the right side than the back vertical leg from the leftside to the right side.
 4. The tool of claim 3 wherein the back verticalleg comprising a beveled edge at the top front of the back vertical leg.5. The tool of claim 2 wherein a reveal measuring device comprising aplurality of measurement indicator markings is fastened to the front ofthe front vertical leg.
 6. The tool of claim 2 wherein there is aplurality of reveal openings in the front vertical leg.
 7. The tool ofclaim 2 wherein there is a front slot on the front of the front verticalleg and a back slot on the back of the front vertical leg.
 8. The toolof claim 1 wherein a clamping knob with circular clockwise andcounterclockwise motion comprising a threaded stud that traverses on ahorizontal trajectory when the clamping knob is rotated clockwise orcounterclockwise.
 9. The tool of claim 8 wherein the clamping knob whenrotated clockwise traverses into the front of the front vertical legthreaded opening and continues beyond the back of the front vertical leginto a clamping pad with the clamping pad reversibly attached to thethreaded stud of the clamping knob wherein a front roll pin is insertedinto a front roll pin opening of the threaded stud and a back roll pinis inserted into a back roll pin opening of the threaded stud whereinthe back roll pin is inserted into a partial depth opening of theclamping pad.
 10. A tool to facilitate the installation of siding on astructure comprising: A reveal slide.
 11. The tool of claim 10 wherein areveal slide comprising a top; a bottom; a front; a back; a left sideand a right side.
 12. The tool of claim 11 wherein the reveal slidecomprising an elongated aperture to contain and facilitate verticallinear motion of the reveal slide along the main body channel.
 13. Thetool of claim 11 wherein a reveal bolt when rotated clockwise traversesinto a front threaded opening of the reveal slide and into a selectedreveal opening of the plurality of reveal openings of the front verticalleg.
 14. The tool of claim 11 wherein a shelf bolt when rotatedclockwise traverses into a front threaded opening of the reveal slideand continues into a back threaded opening on the same trajectory as thefront threaded opening and beyond the back of the reveal slide andthreads into a reveal board shelf.
 15. The tool of claim 14 wherein theshelf bolt and the reveal board shelf have an alternate front threadedlocation and an alternate back threaded location on the reveal slidewherein when the shelf bolt is rotated clockwise into the shelf boltalternate front threaded opening of the reveal slide and continues intothe alternate back threaded opening on the same trajectory as the frontthreaded opening and beyond the back of the reveal slide and threadsinto a reveal board shelf.
 16. The tool of claim 10 wherein a retainercomprising a top; a bottom; a left side; a right side; a front; a backand an opening wherein a retainer bolt when rotated clockwise willtraverse through the opening of the retainer and into a threaded openingof the reveal slide.
 17. A tool to facilitate the installation of sidingon a structure comprising: A fastener locator.
 18. The tool of claim 17wherein the fastener locator comprising a top; a bottom; a front; aback; a left side and a right side configured to have vertical linearmotion along the reveal slide.
 19. The tool of claim 18 wherein thefastener locator comprising an elongated aperture between the top andthe bottom of the fastener locator.
 20. The tool of claim 18 wherein thefastener locator comprising a plurality of semicircle openings.